Why is South Australia's feed-in tariff so low?

SA has world-leading rooftop solar, so at midday — when everyone exports — there is a glut and wholesale prices fall to near zero. Retailers price the feed-in tariff off that, so export earns little. The flip side is that using your own solar (or storing it) is worth more here than almost anywhere.

Can South Australia limit how much solar I export?

Yes. SA has led the country on flexible or dynamic export limits, which can curtail exports when the grid is oversupplied at midday. It is another reason self-consumption and storage matter more than chasing a headline export rate.

Is a higher feed-in tariff always better?

No. A plan with a headline feed-in tariff often carries higher usage or supply charges that wipe out the benefit. Because most homes use a large share of their solar directly, self-consumption usually saves far more than export earns. Compare the total plan cost for your usage, not the feed-in tariff on its own.

South Australia solar feed-in tariffs

South Australia has no mandated feed-in tariff, and with some of the highest rooftop-solar penetration on earth, midday exports are worth the least here. Self-consumption is not a nice-to-have in SA — it is basically the whole return.

Source data last verified 21 June 2026.

South Australia — how it works

Market-set (no minimum)

deregulated · 2026

No government-mandated minimum FiT. Market-set; indicative competitive averages ~5–8 c/kWh (some max offers ~8–10 c/kWh). NOTE: SA Power Networks applies a solar export charge during the middle of the day (~10am–4pm) when the grid is saturated — a 'solar sponge' dynamic that effectively reduces daytime export value. SA has among the highest retail electricity prices, which strengthens the self-consumption case.

Regulator: None (market-set) · SA Power Networks / market offers (no SA regulator-set FiT)

How South Australia sets its feed-in tariff

SA is deregulated: retailers set their own feed-in tariff with no mandated minimum. Because so much solar floods the grid in the middle of the day, midday export value is thin, and the network can curtail or limit exports when the grid is swamped. The plans that win here are cheap on usage and pair well with a battery or flexible exports, not the ones waving the biggest export rate.

If you are working out which plan to be on, your distribution network here is SA Power Networks. Your retailer sets the feed-in tariff; the network shapes the charges around it, so the best-value plan is the one that wins on the whole bill for your postcode.

The number that matters more than the feed-in tariff

For almost every solar home, the usage rate — what you pay for grid power, mostly after the sun goes down — moves your yearly bill more than the feed-in tariff does. You buy more than you export, so a cheap usage rate beats a flashy export rate. The highest-value habit is not hunting for a unicorn feed-in tariff; it is using more of your own solar, and being on a plan that is cheap on the power you still have to buy.

Compare South Australia plans on total cost for your usage →

See how all states govern feed-in tariffs or read the July 2026 rate changes.

Common questions — South Australia

Why is South Australia's feed-in tariff so low?: SA has world-leading rooftop solar, so at midday — when everyone exports — there is a glut and wholesale prices fall to near zero. Retailers price the feed-in tariff off that, so export earns little. The flip side is that using your own solar (or storing it) is worth more here than almost anywhere.
Can South Australia limit how much solar I export?: Yes. SA has led the country on flexible or dynamic export limits, which can curtail exports when the grid is oversupplied at midday. It is another reason self-consumption and storage matter more than chasing a headline export rate.
Is a higher feed-in tariff always better?: No. A plan with a headline feed-in tariff often carries higher usage or supply charges that wipe out the benefit. Because most homes use a large share of their solar directly, self-consumption usually saves far more than export earns. Compare the total plan cost for your usage, not the feed-in tariff on its own.

Compare another state

Feed-in tariffs vary by retailer and plan and change frequently. Regulated/benchmark figures below are from each state's regulator; market ranges are indicative of retailer offers and should be checked against current plans. Self-consumption typically saves far more than export earns.

Reviewed by James Baker, Founder, EnergyPlans.com.au. Data last verified 21 June 2026. Methodology.